Team Docs

Combining a rich text editor with dynamic databases, Notion is an ideal repository for documentation. Store product specs, company policies, processes, project overviews, quarterly planning, and any other docs that will that keep your organization firing on all cylinders.

Let's create a sophisticated library for your documentation! 🗂

In this tutorial, you will:

1. Create a new database 2. Configure properties Add or edit properties Define property values as you go 3. Create database templates 4. Add docs Create a doc from your templates Create a doc from scratch 5. Customize views Create a list view Add a filter Display and arrange properties 6. Share your docs

1. Create a new database

Add a new page to your workspace, and select Table from the grayscale menu.

Name your database. Add an icon and description if you like.

2. Configure properties

Add properties that will provide helpful context to your docs. Consider how you'll want your docs sorted and filtered. Our example includes these properties:

Created (Created Time): How old is the doc?

Created By (Created By): Who created the doc?

Last Edited By (Last Edited By): Who made the most recent updates?

Last Edited Time (Last Edited Time): When was the doc last updated?

Stakeholders (Person): Who needs to consult the doc?

Status (Select): Where is the document in your process? Example: Is action required?

Type (Select): How would you categorize the doc?

Add or edit properties

Click Properties at the top of your table.

Click the name of an existing property to edit it or + Add a property to create a new one.

Name your property.

Under Property Type, select the type of information you want it to contain.

Repeat for each property.

Define property values as you go

For Select properties, such as Status and Type in our example, you'll create dropdown options when creating templates and adding docs. Simply type the value and hit enter. If you'd like, choose a color that corresponds with each option's meaning, like green for Completed.

For Person properties, you can choose among the members of your workspace. They'll be notified each time you include them on a doc.

Created Time, Created By, Last Edited By and Last Edited Time are generated automatically.

3. Create database templates

You docs likely fall into a handful of types (i.e. specs, processes, etc.), each of which has common formats and features. Rather than creating each doc from scratch, you can establish a template for each type, with properties, headings and other content automatically in place for a head start.

At the top right of your database, click the down arrow within the blue New button. Select + New Template and enter a title for the template, such as Project Overview.

Enter property values that apply to all docs that will use the template. In the example below, all documents using the Project Overview template will have Project Overview prepopulated for the Type property.

In the body of the template page, add the content you want to appear every time you create this type of doc. That will likely include headings as an outline for the doc, and perhaps a table of contents.

Click ← Back to save and return to your database.

4. Add docs

Create a doc from your templates

At the top right of your database, click the down arrow within the blue New button and choose your template.

Your new document will fill in the properties and content you established for the template.

Create a doc from scratch

Click the New button at the top right of your table to open a blank page in Preview Mode.

Edit it in preview mode or expand it by clicking Open as Page at the top left or typing cmd/ctrl + enter.

5. Customize views

Notion allows you to view the same data many different ways — however is most useful. You can choose to see your documents arranged in a list, on a board, within a calendar, etc. You can also create views of your docs filtered or sorted any way you want.

Simple list views, filtered by property, make browsing docs and locating relevant materials quick and easy for your team.

Create a list view

In Notion, lists give your data a clean, minimal look that's easy to interact with. You can choose to expose properties, like who created the doc, when it was created, tags, etc.

Click + Add a View at the top of your table.

Type a name for your list that indicates how you'll filter it. In our example, we filter the Type property for Architecture Overviews, so our list name is "Architecture Overviews."

Choose List and click Create.

Add a filter

At the top of the list, click Filter and + Add a Filter.

Choose a property to filter by and which docs to show and hide. For our Architecture Overviews view, we filter for docs where Type Is Architecture Overview.

Display and arrange properties

At the top of the list, click Properties and toggle on the properties you'd like your view to display.

Drag and drop properties to reorder them.

6. Share your docs

To make docs accessible to all members of your workspace, click Share at the top right of the page and toggle on Workspace Access.

If you prefer to limit access to particular team members, click Share at the top right of the page, then Invite a Person. Add collaborators using their email addresses. Choose an access level for each of them (i.e. read-only, comment-only).

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Note: Invitees without an existing Notion account will receive an email with a link to create one. Learn more about sharing →

Something we didn't cover? Message us in the app by clicking ? at the bottom right on desktop (or in your sidebar on mobile). Or email us at team@makenotion.com ✌️